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Age at Home Features
Being an in-home caregiver for a loved one who is aging or has Alzheimer’s or dementia, is not a role that comes easily to most people. But it is a reality that many people will face in their life. When the responsibility becomes overwhelming, it’s vital to ask for help.
The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin and Age at Home are two places caregivers can get support. One incredible resource provided by the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance is the Pat Wilson Caregiver Respite Grant—a program designed to employer and support home caregivers and give them a much-deserved break.
We sat down with Paula Darrow, Age at Home senior homecare consultant to talk about the Pat Wilson Caregiver Respite Grant and its importance to the communities we serve.
Can you explain what the Pat Wilson Caregiver Respite Grant is and who it helps?
Caregiving can be a very stressful job. It impacts the mental and physical health of not only the caregiver, but the loved one as well. This grant allows caregivers to take small breaks, focus on their own self-care, and rest easy knowing their loved one is being taken care of by Age at Home.
At Age at Home, our caregivers meet families who are working tirelessly to provide the best care for their loved one. When does Age at Home connect families with the resources available through the Pat Wilson Caregiver Respite Grant?
During our initial meeting with families, we are often able to recognize the need for further assistance within a home. When we meet families that could benefit tremendously from these services, we put them in touch with the Alliance directly.
How is the Pat Wilson Caregiver Respite Grant funded?
The grant is funded by community donations and fundraiser events like the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin’s Ales for Alzheimer’s event. Ales for Alzheimer’s is Thursday, October 24, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Edgewater in Madison. Tickets are $30 and are on sale now.
A video advertising this event and you are featured in it! Can you share how you got involved?
Age at Home had been helping Melvin (the gentlemen featured in the video) and his family get funding from the Pat Wilson Caregiver Respite Grant. We wanted to share their incredible story and help promote the Ales for Alzheimer’s fundraiser event, so we partnered with the Alliance to make it happen.
How else can Age at Home support in-home caregivers who may need support?
The Pat Wilson Caregiver Respite Grant gives Age at Home the opportunity to help families receive a break if they need one, but it also gives us the chance to speak with families about other support services like palliative and hospice care through Agrace. For most patients, these services are almost completely paid for by Medicare, Medicaid or private health insurance. When people need Agrace’s care, but do not have coverage from those payment sources, Agrace’s Care for All program can cover some or all of the cost of care for patients who demonstrate financial need.